Masquerade
by Ranguvar27
Summary: Stayne and Alannah attend a Masquerade at Marmoreal, and Stayne is quite pleased to discover that this time, it will be a Masquerade well worth remembering.


Masquerade

Alannah sighed in her sleep, snuggling tighter against Stayne. Outside, the wind howled loudly, and rain beat against the windows of the cottage. But inside it was warm and dry. A cheery fire blazed in the hearth, and every now and then a log popped, sending sparks up the chimney.

A bright flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed quickly by a titanic clap of thunder, and the next thing Stayne and Alannah knew they were being leapt on by a very scared nine year old and four year old. Katarina clung to Stayne, wailing in fear, and Michael clutched onto Alannah. They sat up, gently rubbing their children's backs, and Alannah was the first to speak.

"Did the storm scare you, little ones?"

Katarina dug her head out of Stayne's shoulder long enough to nod at her Momma. Alannah smiled gently, and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "There's nothing to be scared of, darlings. The storm is just a lot of light and noise."

Michael looked up at her. "Don't like loud noise, Momma. Scared me."

Stayne smiled at him. "Loud noises can be scary. But I've heard a noise louder than thunder."

Alannah grinned at him. "Let me guess-Iracebeth?"

Stayne laughed. "I'm surprised I'm not deaf, considering how loudly that woman could screech. She had a shout that could be heard clearly in Witzend. But there were times she'd yell at me and my ears would ring for hours after."

Katarina looked at her Momma. "Can Michael and I stay in here with you? We're scared."

Stayne and Alannah looked at each other, and Alannah sighed. "Of course, but just until you two fall asleep. Fair?"

The children nodded, and the four of them snuggled together. In no time at all, Katarina and Michael were sound asleep. Stayne chuckled quietly. "That didn't take very long, did it?"

Alannah laughed. "No, and I think it's safe to take them back to their own beds. The storm seems to be abating." She gently scooped up Michael, and Stayne picked up Katarina.

"She's getting heavy. Pretty soon I won't be able to pick her up." Stayne said with some reluctance.

Alannah smiled. "She's growing up so quickly. They both are."

They gently placed their children on their beds, and were about to go back to sleep themselves when a firm knock sounded at the front door. Exchanging looks of puzzlement, they went to answer it.

A messenger stood there, soaked from the rain. He bowed deeply, and pulled an envelope out of his breast pocket. "An invitation from Her Majesty, Queen Mirana of Marmoreal, to attend a Masquerade Ball in three weeks time."

Alannah took the envelope, smiling in sympathy at the Messenger. "Thank you, but wouldn't it have been wiser to wait for the storm to pass before you gave out the invitations? You look positively soaked."

The Messenger waved his hand dismissively. "I'm fine. I…ACHHOOOO!"

Alannah sighed. "Ilosivic, in my Potions Cupboard you'll find a bottle of the medicine I gave you for your cold. Bring it out here, please."

Stayne went into the kitchen, returning a few moments later with the bottle. Alannah handed it to the Messenger. "When you get home, take this. It will get rid of your cold."

The Messenger nodded in thanks, then left. Alannah sighed. "I better get breakfast started. There's no way I'm going to be able to get back to sleep."

Stayne nodded absently, his concentration focused on the invitation. Alannah noticed, and touched his arm in concern. "Ilosivic? What's the matter?"

He smiled ruefully. "It's been a very long while since I attended a Masquerade."

She chuckled. "Are you worried about finding a costume?"

Stayne shook his head. "No. I….I don't know. The last Masquerade I attended was at Salazen Grum, and I didn't really enjoy myself too much. It didn't help that I wasn't allowed to be more than two feet away from Iracebeth. Plus, I felt rather underdressed. Some of the costumes sported by the Red Court Ladies and Lords were quite ostentatious, and I was wearing a black costume and mask."

Alannah smiled dreamily. "I remember."

_Alannah blinked, nearly blinded by the array of bright colors of the costumes of the Lords and Ladies of the Red Court. They were almost headache inducing-subtlety was something that these nobles had never heard of. They all seemed to be competing amongst themselves to determine who had the most ostentatious and ridiculous costume. Alannah, who was dressed in a dark blue dress and wearing a mask that was a slightly lighter blue, couldn't help but chuckle. _

_She was leaning against the far wall, watching the activity, and as a result was unaware that she had been approached by one of the lords until he cleared his throat loudly. She focused on him-or tried to. He was wearing a harlequin costume, and the riot of colors-blue, purple, orange, and red-penetrated her eyeballs, making her blink to assure that she hadn't been blinded. With an effort, she looked up at the Lord, who gave her a simpering smile. "My Lady," he said in a breathy, nasally voice, "Would you do me the honor of a dance?" _

_Alannah sighed, about to refuse him, and he solved the problem by grabbing her hand and dragging her onto the floor. She shivered at his clammy hand, but since she didn't want to cause a commotion, she allowed herself to be dragged around the dance floor. Her partner was a horrific dancer, and Alannah thanked Time that the dance was a simple one that didn't require any complicated steps. Nevertheless, by the time the dance was over, she had been stepped on at least eight times. She tried not to look too overjoyed when the music ended. She nodded briefly when the Lord thanked her, and then practically ran off the dance floor. She leaned against the wall, breathing deeply in relief, and then groaned when she noticed Lady Germaine flouncing towards her. She half listened to her conversation, giving pat answers to her questions. She felt her temper surge when Germaine pretended to show concern for her mother, but still managed to answer politely and calmly. Then Lady Germaine gave her a serious look. _

"_Alannah, your mother and I have been friends for many years, and we both agree that it is high time you start thinking about something very important. You are well past marrying age." _

_Alannah rolled her eyes, and stared straight ahead as Lady Germaine began to recite a speech that Alannah had heard from her mother for years. Suddenly, her attention was fixed on the thrones-more specifically, on the man that stood behind the Red Queen's throne. He was tall, with very pale skin and jet black hair. Even from a distance, it was clear that he was in very good shape, and his simple black costume showed off his body quite nicely. He was leaning down, talking quietly to the Queen, and Alannah saw him nod before he stood up, nodding to the King. _

"_She's ready for the singer to come forward, Majesty." His voice was soft, yet it held a note of command and authority that made Alannah shiver in desire-and then he looked straight at her, and she gasped. He was beautiful. His black hair was swept back from his high forehead, and his black mask revealed a single dark blue eye. The other eye was covered by a heart shaped patch, and long healed scars radiated outward. He had a slight smirk on his face, and she sighed quietly. 'I wonder who that is.' _

_After discovering that he was the Knave of Hearts, Alannah had sighed in disappointment. Everyone in Underland knew the Knave was the Favorite of the Red Queen. Alannah had thought that the feeling was mutual, but she noticed that the Knave seemed to be extremely uncomfortable around the Queen. She was gazing up at him with a simpering smile on her face, and Alannah noticed that he was glaring at her in exasperation-something the Queen either didn't notice or chose not to notice. _

_The King introduced her, and she made her way through the crowd to stand in front of the thrones. She stared in open admiration at the Knave, and he stared back, eye wide. She blinked, focusing on the reason why she had been invited, and began to sing, smiling when she heard a harsh gasp come from behind her. She didn't have to turn around to see who it was. _

_After she finished singing, she curtseyed deeply to the King and Queen. Gabriel smiled. "You truly are a marvelous singer. Thank you so much for accepting our invitation. My dear, what did you think?" _

_Iracebeth gave her a rare smile. "She does have quite a lovely voice. Stayne, what do you think?" She turned to the Knave-Stayne-and he jumped in surprise. He had been staring quite intensely at Alannah, and Iracebeth's voice startled him back to reality._

"_Majesty?" _

_Iracebeth sighed in exasperation. "Lady Sullivan. What did you think of her singing?" _

_Stayne blinked. "Oh. Very lovely." He looked at Alannah, and she blushed at the blazing desire she saw in his eye. "The most beautiful thing I've ever seen and heard", he said quietly to her, and she smiled at him. _

"_Thank you." Stayne smiled softly at her, and Iracebeth frowned deeply, and glared imperiously at Alannah. _

"_Yes, thank you for attending. Now, you've fulfilled your reason for coming here, so I think it would be for the best if you left now. There will be a carriage waiting for you. Good night." _

_Alannah curtseyed, then left the ball room, feeling Stayne's gaze on her. _

Stayne looked around the Grand Ballroom at Marmoreal, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. He was wearing a black costume, mask, and cape, just as he had done when he attended the Masquerade at Salazen Grum. Also, just like at Salazen Grum, the Lords and Ladies of the White Court sported an array of colors in their costumes. But unlike the Red Court, the costumes sported by the White Court were quite lovely to look at. There were many colors, but Stayne had discovered that the Lords and Ladies of the White Court understood how to be subtle, yet colorful. He smiled widely as he thought of the biggest difference…he would be able to go after Alannah after without having to worry about an insanely jealous Queen. That was definitely the best, and biggest, difference he thought to himself.

Tarrant approached him, dressed in a purple suit, and Stayne grinned. "Nice costume, Tarrant."

Tarrant laughed. "You too. I've never been to a Masquerade, you know. It looks like it will be lots of fun. I just hope I recognize Alice when she shows up, because she told me she's going to be wearing a mask. Is Alannah wearing a mask? Do you know what her costume is? Alice wouldn't tell me what she was going to be dressed as, no matter how much I pleaded. She was quite stubborn, but that's one reason why I love her, she's got quite a lot of muchness, and…"

"Tarrant! Slow down, mate. I'm sure we'll be able to recognize our wives. We just need to look for the two most beautiful women in the ball room, after all." Stayne said, laughing. Tarrant beamed, and nodded.

"Very true, and I think I see them." He pointed towards the door, and Stayne's jaw dropped. Alannah, Alice, and the four children stood in the entrance. Stayne and Tarrant practically ran over to them, and it was Tarrant who spoke first.

"Alice, you look very lovely, blue looks so lovely on you, and that mask is just wonderful, and I shouldn't be so surprised that your costume looks so delectable on you, since I was the one who made it especially for you, and Alannah, you look quite lovely as well, I think green looks quite nice on you, you look like a wood nymph, and your children are quite cute as well, and Alice, our twins look absolutely wonderful, and all your masks go quite wonderfully with your costumes, and…"

Three voices interrupted his ramblings. "Tarrant!" He blinked. "I'm fine. Alice, dear one, would you care to dance?"

Alice beamed and offered Tarrant her arm, and he led her onto the dance floor. Stayne turned his attention to Alannah. "You look absolutely gorgeous, love. But didn't you wear blue at the last Masquerade?"

She gave him a wicked grin, then leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "My knickers are blue." He gulped, and she smirked at him. Stayne glanced down, hoping to catch a glimpse of her knickers through her dress, and felt a slight twinge of disappointment when he was unsuccessful. Alannah chuckled, and he gave her a mock glare.

"Tease. For that, you have to dance at least three dances with me."

She sighed in pretend annoyance. "Oh, very well. Lead the way, My Lord." She looked at the children. "Why don't you four go get some food and something to drink? Katarina, keep an eye on the younger ones, please." Katarina nodded, and the children headed to the food.

Stayne led Alannah onto the floor, and they began dancing. Stayne spun her, pulling her close, and gave her a brief kiss before flowing smoothly into the next step. "I wanted to ask you to dance at the Masquerade at Salazen Grum, but I couldn't quite work up the courage. Then when I saw you…well, being dragged around by Lord Hallman, I figured you could use some rescuing, and was actually about to cut in when Iracebeth dragged me away."

Alannah laughed. "That was the most horrible dance I have ever had to endure. I have never forgotten that. You, on the other hand are a fantastic dancer."

Stayne grinned, spinning her around. "Thank you, but a dancer is only as good as his partner, and you are quite the worthy partner, my love."

Alannah blushed. Stayne smiled and they continued to dance even after the music had ended, their bodies molding together. Stayne sighed happily, breathing in Alannah's apple and spice scent. He stroked her spine, and she shivered against him. He gulped, and spoke softly. "Love, you do that again and I'm going to drag you out of this room and into the closest bedroom I can find."

Alannah grinned evilly, and repeated the action. Stayne gulped, and then gave her a mock glare. "You were warned." He took her hand, and dragged her towards the door, ignoring her laughing protests. Alice was standing by the door, talking to Margaret, and they grinned at the sight. Margaret laughed. "Ilosivic, is there something wrong?"

Stayne grinned. "No. I'm just going to have a bit of a talk with my wife. That's all. Come along, dear." He tugged playfully on Alannah's arm, and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, My Lord." She gave Alice a mock look of annoyance. "He can be so persistent sometimes, I swear. Yes, darling, I'm coming."

Stayne led her through the halls, and into the nearest bedchamber he could find. He shut the door, then swept her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed, pulling her down onto the silken sheets. He kissed her deeply, threading his fingers through her hair, and she moaned in her throat and kissed him back. He came up for air, and smiled at her.

"Pinch me." She looked at him in puzzlement, and he laughed quietly. "I want to make sure I'm not dreaming."

Alannah smiled in understanding, and pinched him lightly. Stayne beamed, and kissed her, then slowly untied her mask, tossing it aside once it was loose. He felt her fingers loosening the ties on his mask, and he lifted his head up so she could untie it. She tossed it to the floor, and kissed his forehead, then moved down to his scar, and he gasped in harsh desire. He locked his legs around hers, and flipped her onto her back, grinning wickedly at her.

"Now, I think it's about time I got a look at these blue knickers, don't you?"

She nodded eagerly, and he slowly peeled off her dress, kissing her all over. Once her dress was off, he gazed down at her knickers, and gulped in desire. Not only were they a rather lovely shade of dark blue, they were also made of silk, and clung to her in a way that made his heart pound and his head spin. Alannah smiled coyly at him. "Do you like them, Ilosivic?"

Stayne nodded, mouth dry, and she grinned and pulled him down into a deep kiss. "Good. Now, get your clothes off, get my knickers off, and for Time's sake make love to me!"

Stayne obeyed with alacrity.

They returned to the ball room slightly flushed and panting lightly. Alice caught Alannah's eye, and the two friends exchanged wicked smiles.

Stayne wrapped his arm around Alannah's waist and reflected that this Masquerade was one that would bear remembering.


End file.
